Rage
by Phoenix87
Summary: After a fight with Luthor Superman has been acting strange. Strange and violent. Can the League save him before he does somthing he'll regret for the rest of his life? (Rewrite of the final chapter now up.) Now Completed
1. Chapter One

Chapter 1  
  
Superman dodged the fist that flew at his head, then firmly placed his hand on Luthor's stomach throwing him over his shoulder. This was not how he wanted to spend his evening. He glanced at the clock on the wall: 8:04. Great now he was late too. He was to be at the Watchtower for 'guys night' with J'onn, Lantern, and Flash. They were going to try to teach J'onn how to play poker.  
"AHHH!" he yelled out suddenly withdrawn from his thoughs and spun around. Luthor had one of his little toys and had fired it into his back. Superman swiftly punched him in the face, then grabbed the gun and crumpled it into a ball in his hands.  
"Not so tuff without your gangs are you Luthor?" He asked the man  
"Oh Superman, why do you always make the mistake of underestimating me?" Luthor took out a small gun and fired it into Superman's face. A cloud of smoke exited from the barrel and entered Superman's nose and mouth. He began to cough violently trying to get the repulsive gas out of his lungs. He could hear Luthor's laugh behind him, so he twisted around and threw a punch. The laughter increased: he had missed.  
"Oh this is a sight I shall saver." Luthor sneered. He kicked Superman in the back watching the hero fall to the ground with a loud thud. "How fun it would be to kill you right now, but I think I'd rather wait to let the poison take hold, then read the papers about your unfortunate demise." Luthor laughed again. Superman's vision blurred.  
"What does that mean?" He thought. "Poison? This smoke must be laced with Kryptonite!" He felt Luthor kick him in the side.  
"Good, I guess I'll see you in the papers hero." Luthor said cruelly and left To Superman, Luthor's words were slow and slurred. He barley made out what was said, but he could feel the vibration of Luthor's feet as he walked away. That was the last thing he could feel as he pasted out.  
* * * Superman opened his eyes slowly. It was as if some one had placed a bus on each lid. He became aware of a soft beeping in the back round and saw three bright lights above him.  
"Wha-" he moaned softly, "Where?"  
"Be still my friend." He heard a familiar voice say  
"J'onn?"  
"Yes it's me. You're in the Watchtower infirmary"  
"I'm alive?" J'onn gave him a look  
"Of course."  
"But the gas..Kryptonite.." Superman's head was spinning. The three lights had multiplied to six then twelve. He squeezed his eyes shut  
"It wasn't Kryptonite," J'onn said placing his hand on his good friends shoulder. "Luthor must have grabbed the wrong gas"  
"Then what?" Superman asked reopening his eyes finally focusing on J'onn's face.  
"To be honest, I'm not sure. But it looks like you're going to be fine."  
"How did you find me?"  
"When you didn't show up for our gathering and didn't call in we assumed you were in trouble and we traced your ear piece."  
"And how long have I been here?"  
"In the infirmary? Four days." Superman's eyes grew wide at the number  
"Four days?"  
"Luthor, I'm sorry said to say, has not yet been located. We found part of his suit at the scene, but it gave up no other clues to his where- abouts. We are still looking."  
"Good. That scum deserves a long night in hell for this!" Superman spat out. J'onn raised his eyebrows at the remark. From the look on Superman's face he seemed a bit surprised too.  
"Sorry," he mumbled, "I must be more tired then I thought."  
"Then get some sleep." Superman rolled over drifting off into a peaceful dream about getting some definite revenge on Luthor. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Three more days pasted and Superman was now completely healed. He must have been more effected by this incident then his teammates had previously thought, because he was sure jumpy. And snappy: he had been saying some things lately that rivaled Batman's frankness. They all approached him slowly and with noise as well, after he nearly smacked Flash in the face when he came up behind him to ask where Lantern was earlier. None was more aware of the change in behavior then J'onn who decided to keep a close eye on his friend.  
  
The air went silent as Superman entered the meeting room. He looked around at his teammates, then his eyes narrowed.  
"Where is Batman?" He asked  
"He said he was busy and couldn't make it." Wonder women answered.  
"Figures." Superman huffed and quickly sat down in his chair. Wonder woman made eye contact with Hawkgirl sitting across from her. Hawkgirl only shook her head slightly at the noticed tone in Superman's voice. The meeting then went on pretty normally as they talked about upcoming events and various side notes, until-  
"Where are we on the Luthor front?" Superman asked suddenly, interrupting the story Lantern was currently telling. The league was quiet and looked at each other as if to say 'you answer him.'  
"Well?" Superman demanded  
"No leads as of yet." J'onn answered  
"Why. .not?" Superman asked making the words very stressed.  
"There's nothing to find. We searched that building all over. The only thing he left was that piece of his uniform, which lead to nothing." Lantern replied.  
"Oh really?" Superman scoffed  
"Yes, really." Hawkgirl's voice added in.  
"Maybe you're just not trying hard enough! Ever think of that?!" Superman yelled slamming his fists down on the table causing round imprints.  
"Woh, calm down Sups." Flash said, "It's okay, he can't hide forever." Superman slowly turned his head toward Flash and gave him a look that would stop a train.  
"It's okay?" He repeated Flash's words, "It's OKAY?!" In anger he flipped the table over. It sailed threw the air end over end until it rammed into the wall and broke in two. "NO IT IS NOT 'OKAY'!" he yelled. His whole body was shaking, trembling. Inside his head his mind screamed at him to stop, to calm down, but his body wasn't responding. He turned and ripped his chair out of its holders in the floor, he then threw it across the room and into the same wall that the table impacted. "I want everyone on this NOW!" he hollered before storming out of the room. The room was dead quiet for a few seconds until Flash squeaked out.  
"I'm sorry."  
"No need to be Flash." Lantern said getting out of his chair. "This is all on Superman."  
"Luthor must have really injured his pride to make him do this." Hawkgirl said looking at the broken table.  
"J'onn-" Wonder woman started but J'onn must have guessed what she was going to ask.  
"Yes. There is something wrong with him. I just can't place it at this moment. He certainly isn't himself."  
"You can say that again." Flash mumbled.  
  
Superman ran into his quarters and fell down on the bed. What was happing to him? Was it really him that just destroyed a table and chair back in the meeting room? He pulled himself up and looked into the mirror. It sure did look like him, but it couldn't be him. The anger that that person felt, how he wanted to rip apart everything in that room, and by everything--- Superman shock him head. No. It wasn't him. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. 


	3. Chapter 3

~ Authors Note ~ Info Chapter! Don't worry there will be than enough action in Chapter Four. Due to some technical difficulties with my computer this chapter had to be spaced differently, sorry. Special thanks to my ~one~ reviewer, KR you are truly insane, but thanks for reviewing. I definitely wouldn't mind if others followed suit.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The following morning there was a light knock on Superman's door. Fighting the erg to yell 'What the fuck do you want?' Superman answered,  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"It's J'onn. May I come in?"  
  
Superman bit his tongue then answered  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
The door slid open and the Martian slowly walked in.  
  
"How are you feeling today?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"I would like to speak to you about the meeting yesterday."  
  
"Why?" J J'onn blinked  
  
"I have noticed that since your battle with Luthor you've been a bit-"  
  
"Edgy? Jumpy? Snappy?" Superman spoke  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And now you think there's something wrong with me. You want to know what's wrong with me Martian? The kid pissed me off okay? Is that what you wanted to hear? Can we stop with the damned mind games now?!" Superman screamed before he could stop himself.  
  
"This is exactly what I mean. You are not yourself."  
  
"Mind your own business." Superman spat, "Maybe I'm jumpy because someone tried to kill me and he is still on the lose because my 'friends' are to busy sitting on their asses to catch him!"  
  
"Superman," J'onn started  
  
"No! I don't want to hear your excuses. Get out of here!"  
  
"Superman-"  
  
"I said, get out of here!" Superman grabbed a dresser and smashed it to the ground.  
  
"As you wish." J'onn turned and left the room. J'onn entered infirmary slowly. Looking at his face Lantern spoke  
  
"I see talking didn't help."  
  
"No, and he has completely closed off his mind to me."  
  
"Guess Luthor had the right gas all along huh?" Flash said, "this stinks."  
  
"Batman is on his way over." Wonder woman said. "He's going to take a look at that blood sample you took from one of Superman's cuts when you found him after the fight and compare it to a regular blood sample."  
  
"Good" J'onn said  
  
"He also said he'd like to get a look at the suit Superman was wearing when it happened, if it hasn't been washed, to see if there's any remaining traces of the gas in it." Wonder woman added.  
  
"I got a look at Superman's hamper while I was in there. It looked full. I don't think anything has been cleaned." J'onn replied  
  
"Great now how do we get it out?" Lantern sighed  
  
"I could get in and out of there in a second," Flash said. "If Superman isn't in there."  
  
"Okay, then we need a distraction," Lantern said.  
  
"What if I implanted a computer virus into the system and we say we need his help to fix it?" Hawkgirl suggested.  
  
"That's perfect!" Lantern gave Hawkgirl a smile, then turned to the rest. "Okay we'll distract Superman, Flash as soon as Superman is out of his room you go get the suit, but wear a gas mask. If there's any traces left in those clothes we certainly don't need you inhaling it. J'onn you should get some kind of air tight container to seal it in."  
  
J'onn nodded.  
  
"Okay people, lets get to work."  
  
Hawkgirl flew up to the computer console and quickly taped some select keys. She made sure that the virus was easy enough for Superman to solve, but not to easy. They didn't want him to get suspicious and wonder why they couldn't fix it for themselves.  
  
"Okay!" she called down to Lantern.  
  
Lantern gave her a thumbs up and went to help Flash who was fumbling with the gas mask still trying to get it on right.  
  
"Hold still," He told to his friend  
  
"This thing smells weird," Flash complained. Lantern rolled his eyes and tightened the strap.  
  
"Watch it, the thing is going to cut off circulation to my brain."  
  
"Like you need it." Lantern grinned and walked away.  
  
"I heard that!" Flash called after him.  
  
Lantern chuckled and walked up to Superman's door, Hawkgirl and Wonder woman behind him. He took a deep breath and knocked.  
  
"WHAT?" Was the reply  
  
"Um.I don't want to bother you Superman but-"  
  
"Then don't!"  
  
"But," Lantern continued, "Something is wrong with the computers and we can't seem to fix it."  
  
"I guess you idiots can't do anything right!" Superman growled and opened his door. He stormed past them and sat down at the controls. Before his door closed Lantern caught a blur of red pass in then out of it. He smiled  
  
"Good job Flash." He thought to himself.  
  
Flash raced back to the infirmary and stuffed the blue, red, and yellow clothes into the box that J'onn had ready. He placed a hand on the gas mask and ripped it off.  
  
"Got it?" J'onn asked  
  
Flash patted the box.  
  
"Yep, but there were three uniforms in there. I just took all of them. I wasn't sure which was the one that Bats needed."  
  
"That's fine. I don't think Superman will even notice."  
  
"There I fixed your damn computer happy now?" Superman's voice could be heard.  
  
"Yes, thanks" Wonder woman said  
  
Superman walked back into his room, the rest continued into the infirmary.  
  
"Well, that was pleasant." Hawkgirl said gripping her mace so tight that her knuckles were white. "Say you have it."  
  
"We have it." J'onn answered  
  
"Good."  
  
"Batman is here." Wonder woman said as the black jet could be seen approaching the Watchtower. But the members in the infirmary weren't the only ones to notice it. 


	4. Chapter 4

~ Authors note ~ I decided to keep the spacing like this since I've been told it's easier to read. Enjoy, and thanks for the suggestion!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Batman walked into the Watchtower heading towards the infirmary where he had some very important things to do. Earlier that day Wonder woman had called him and franticly told him about Superman's strange behavior. He agreed to help. Hopefully they had gathered what he had asked for.  
  
"Well look who it is." He heard Superman say behind him.  
  
"Damn." Batman thought as he turned around  
  
"So your finally here. What? Suddenly we're good enough for you now?"  
  
"Clark," Batman said hoping using the man's human name would calm him some. "I hear your not well."  
  
"Bruce," Superman said mockingly, "Like you care."  
  
"I do. You're a friend."  
  
"Could have fooled me." Superman said starting to walk around Batman in slow circles. "Always hiding in that cave you are, hiding from the world. All you care about is that cave, and your revenge."  
  
"That's not true."  
  
"Isn't it? What do you care about then? Your family? Alfred, Dick, Tim?"  
  
Batman just stared at him  
  
"Where are you going with this?"  
  
Superman chuckled.  
  
"You make a fake family just to fool yourself into thinking that you do care about something other then this." He said picking up part of Batman's cape. "But I can see straight threw you, my 'friend'. You're addicted. You're addicted to your own revenge. How sad for you."  
  
Batman shot his hand out and grabbed Superman by the shirt to stop his circling.  
  
"I know your not well, and that it's Luthor's gas that is making you say this, so I wont be kicking your ass right now." He sneered into Superman's face.  
  
"You just know you can't take me." Superman said taking Batman's hand off his uniform. "Your too weak." He chuckled once more and left.  
  
Batman closed his eyes and clamed himself before going into the infirmary.  
  
"Batman!" Wonder woman cried as he entered the room. "Thank the Gods that you are here!"  
  
He nodded at the Amazon  
  
"What is wrong?" J'onn asked noticing Batman's grimmer then usual mood.  
  
"I just had a conversion with Superman."  
  
"That must have been a hoot." Flash said sarcastically.  
  
"Do you have the samples?"  
  
"Yes and the uniform, it's in this box." J'onn said.  
  
"Good." Batman picked up the box and took the samples from J'onn. "I'll be in my lab." With that he was gone.  
  
Superman sat down at one of the monitoring stations. He knew what he had said had hurt Bruce, so why on earth did he just say it? He knew perfectly well that Bruce loved his family more then anything else, and yet there he was screaming in Bruce's face. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he stop himself from hurting people that he cared about? It was as if there was some one else inside his brain commanding him to say these things and he had no power whatsoever to stop them. Then an alarm went off. He looked down: a museum in Metropolis was being robbed.  
  
"GET OUT HERE NOW!" he yelled. He sighed inwardly. Why didn't, why couldn't I say 'We have a problem guys?'  
  
Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Flash emerged from the infirmary.  
  
"Come on there's a museum break in." He said and left to take the controls of the Javelin 7. With in minuets they where at the large white building framed with four round pillars in front.  
  
"Lantern, you and Flash go left. Hawkgirl and I will go right. Understand?" Superman barked.  
  
They nodded and he took off. Superman scanned the area for the no good thieves that were robbing the museum; he barley took notice of Hawkgirl. Suddenly he saw a man run from behind one of the pillars. He smiled grimly and knocked the man to the ground. The bag of stolen goods flew from his hand and the robber scrambled to his feet. Superman then picked up the heavy bag and sung it at the men, it hit him square in the chest and he fell to the ground once more. Superman grabbed the man by his shirt and brought him up so they where eye level.  
  
"Please." The robber whimpered, "I'm sorry, you got me. Take me to the police, please don't hurt me!"  
  
"Why not?" Superman smacked the man in the face. "You were hurting the owners of that museum by stealing their things." He punched the robber in the stomach continuing the beating.  
  
"Your right, t.t.that was wrong. And I know that now, I'm sorry."  
  
"I'll make sure your sorry." Superman said and drew his fist back again.  
  
"Superman!" Hawkgirl yelled, "stop!" She grabbed his hand stopping him from hitting the man again. The man sighed, then passed out. Superman dropped him with disgust then turned on Hawkgirl.  
  
"What do you think your doing stopping me?"  
  
"You were going to kill him!"  
  
"He deserves it!" He pushed her away then went for the man again.  
  
"Superman!" She pulled him back again. He narrowed his eyes then grabbed the arm she was using to restrain him and snapped it. Hawkgirl cried out in pain. Superman grinned despite the rage he was in.  
  
"I'm sorry did that hurt?" he threw her against, then threw the museum wall. Loose bricks rained down on her. Superman was just about to go over and see whether the bitch was still conscious when he heard Lantern's yell.  
  
"Hawkgirl!" Superman turned, but before he knew it Lantern had tackled him to the ground.  
  
"You bastered!" Lantern yelled as he punched Superman in the face. "If you've hurt her!"  
  
Superman laughed  
  
"You'll what?" He flung Lantern off him easily. "Get killed?" Lantern narrowed his eyes and formed a large block with his ring. He slammed it into Superman's head full force. The blow knocked Superman back, but not down.  
  
"So we want to play is that it?" Superman lunged at Lantern and would have gotten him if it weren't for.  
  
After running to the other side of the building, Flash put Lantern down beside him. He looked at his friends face. Lantern was red with anger and Superman hadn't looked much better. As much as he was worried about Hawkgirl, Flash knew he couldn't let them kill each other. Just as Superman was getting close to Lantern again Flash stepped in-between them.  
  
"Come on guys, think about this. Superman you're fighting your friends here." Flash pleaded.  
  
This didn't please Superman.  
  
"Why are you always in my way Flash?!" He yelled and grabbed the young man by the neck. "Why-must-you-be-so-annoying?!" He yelled slamming Flash's head into the wall with every word, the grip on his neck tightening to the point where it blocked off Flash's air pipe. Flash grabbed at Superman's hands trying to get out of the iron grip that was suffocating him. His whole head was spinning from the impacts, and loss of air. He felt his nose start to bleed and his eyes unfocused.  
  
"God," he thought, "I'm going to die" 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Every thing was moving in slow motion for the Green Lantern. Superman had gone nuts. He'd thrown Harkgirl through a wall and was now suffocating Lantern's best friend. 'Do Something, Do Something!' Lantern's mind yelled at him.  
  
"Let go of him!" Lantern yelled finally snapping out of his draze and ran at Superman, starting to form an object with his ring. But Superman moved faster and simply backhanded him across the lawn of the museum. Lantern landed hard then lapsed into semi-consciousness. With Lantern out of the way Superman then turned back to Flash. The kid was fighting to stay conscious, but his arms were slowing in their task to free his neck and his breathing was beyond labored. Superman tightened his grip again, he heard Flash take in one last limited breath before his arms fell to his side and his eyes rolled up into his eyelids. Only then did he realize that someone was behind him- a second to late. With a yelled Hawkgirl swung her mace into Superman's head with all the force she could muster. Both Superman and Flash crumpled to the ground, and Hawkgirl to her knees cradling her broken left arm. Lantern emerged soon later going full force to get back to the battle. When he saw the scene before him he ran up to Hawkgirl.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes," she replied "but, Flash.."  
  
Lantern turned and ran over to his friend. Flash had landed face down, so Lantern carefully turned him over.  
  
"Flash? Flash!?" He yelled and shock him slightly. He got no response. Lantern felt for a plus there was one, but it was weak, and Flash wasn't breathing.  
  
"No, no, no" Lantern said quietly as he tipped Flash's head back and began to do rescue breathing. After two breaths he was relieved to hear Flash cough, then start to breath on his own. Lantern sank back to his knees exhausted.  
  
* * *  
  
"Help!" Lantern yelled as he exited the Javelin back in the Watchtower. J'onn and Wonder woman rushed in to see what was wrong.  
  
"What happened?" Wonder woman cried as she saw her partners appearances. Lantern handed an unconscious Flash off to J'onn.  
  
"Superman went crazy! He tried to kill us." Lantern answered  
  
"Where is he now?"  
  
"In the Javelin." Hawkgirl said. "Out cold, for now."  
  
"You two get to the infirmary," Wonder woman said. "I'll put Superman in our maximum security cell."  
  
* * *  
  
Superman woke, but kept his eyes closed. He heard voices around him and was trying to make out what they were saying.  
  
"Are they okay?" asked a female voice  
  
"Lantern is fine, Hawkgirl suffered a broken arm, Flash is in a coma." A male voice answered her.  
  
"When is he going to come out?" the female voice again. .it sounded so familiar, Diana! Yes that's who it was.  
  
"Only time will tell"  
  
J'onn? Yes, J'onn was there. What were they talking about? Then it all came back to him, slamming into his mind like a wreaking ball. Hawkgirl, Flash, what have I done? Why couldn't I stop it? A tear slid down his cheek, the only thing sense this who messed started that he was able to control.  
  
"Superman?" J'onn asked. He had noticed tear.  
  
"I can't control myself anymore," Superman mumbled, "I have to be stopped."  
  
J'onn couldn't believe it  
  
"Superman, look at me."  
  
Superman turned his head and looked at the Martian.  
  
"Help me!" He thought  
  
"What the hell do you want?" He said.  
  
"Stop it! Stop it!" He yelled at himself. "I need help!"  
  
J'onn sighed and turned away  
  
"No, no, stay" Superman thought in the one place in his mind that was still his own.  
  
"It's okay." Wonder woman said, "I can watch him."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes. I just hope Batman is hurrying with that antidote."  
  
J'onn walked out of the room and Wonder woman pulled a chair over to sit down.  
  
Superman finally lost control, "Diana," he said  
  
"I'm not listening to you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you're not the man I knew."  
  
"Sure I am."  
  
"No, the last time I checked the Superman I knew didn't put his friends in comas"  
  
Superman chuckled. This caused the Amazon to look up at him in anger.  
  
"You think it's funny? You think the pain you caused is funny?"  
  
"Oh, have I upset the princess?"  
  
"You make me sick."  
  
"Come on, they'll be fine." He put his hand near the electrified glass that was the front of his cell. "Why don't you let me out?"  
  
"Why don't I cut off my own leg?"  
  
"Don't be that way."  
  
Wonder woman walked up to the glass and stared him in the face  
  
"Shut up and sit down." She ordered.  
  
Superman smiled she did exactly what he wanted. He threw all his weight against the glass. It caved in and fell on top of Wonder woman electrocuting her. Superman stepped out of the cage and lifted the glass off her. He grabbed her face and kissed her mockingly.  
  
"Sorry babe." He said and calmly strolled out of the room. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
"How's it going?" Lantern said walking into Batman's lab. Batman looked up from his desk at Lantern.  
  
"Shouldn't you be in the infirmary?"  
  
"I needed a break, and I figured you might need one too." he handed Batman some coffee. Batman took it.  
  
"I found gas traces in the uniform and I'm working on the antidote right now." He paused and took a drink of the coffee. "It's seems that the gas that Luthor used on Superman was a virus that attacks the reasoning center of the brain and heightens the violence response."  
  
"So when things happen his brain just automatically picks and amplifies the violent response?"  
  
"That's about it." Batman put the coffee down and sighed. "It's a very particular virus."  
  
"Does that mean?"  
  
"It means it's difficult to make the cure."  
  
"Oh." Lantern took the hint. "I'll being leaving now."  
  
Lantern left the room planning on going back to the infirmary to see how Flash was, but when he passed the door to cells he felt the need to check. He opened the door. The coffee cup fell from his hand.  
  
"Diana!" He ran over to her and was relieved to see that she was alive and breathing. He picked her up gently. "I've seen to many hurt friends today." He said to himself. First he would get help for Diana, second he would worry about were Superman now was.  
  
"Oh no," J'onn said when Lantern entered the infirmary with Wonder woman. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know for sure, but it looks like the glass fell on her." Lantern replied placing her down on a bed.  
  
"So.Superman is free?" Hawkgirl asked. Lantern walked over to her and placed his arm around her shoulders. He didn't like this. He felt like he was being stalked, and with Diana unconscious, Flash in a coma, and Hawkgirl with a broken arm, it was just J'onn, Batman, and himself against one of their former allies. Also he was hesitant to even leave the infirmary in case Superman decided to finish off the injured first. He sighed.  
  
"What do we have here?" Superman's voice drew Lantern's attention to the doorway, "Five little ducks all in a row. ."  
  
"Get out of here Superman" Lantern hissed  
  
Superman smiled and took a step in.  
  
"I am sorry, my friend." J'onn said as he punched Superman in the face. Superman stumbled back a bit surprised that it was J'onn that struck him and not The Green Lantern, but he quickly recovered and grabbed J'onn by the cape. He spun him around and slammed him into a computer in the main room. J'onn frowned and got up. He picked up the computer and threw it at Superman. Superman cut threw the machine with his heat vision and the two parts fell to the floor beside him. He went to tackle J'onn down, but when he tried to grab his waist, he fell right through him. With annoyance he realized that J'onn had phased.  
  
"You would think," J'onn said, "You would have seen that coming."  
  
Superman growled.  
  
"Yes, that's it Superman," J'onn thought. "Get mad, ruin your concentration." Superman threw a punch at J'onn, but again his hand went right threw him.  
  
"Fight like a man!" Superman yelled in frustration  
  
BAM! Superman fell forward his head spinning. He turned and saw Lantern standing there with a now broken chair.  
  
"That was for Flash!" Lantern yelled. He hit Superman again and once more, "And those were for Diana and Hawkgirl!"  
  
Superman was dizzy and beyond angry now. He grasped a broken chair leg. Getting a hold of it, he jammed it into Lantern's stomach knocking the air out of him.  
  
"John!" J'onn yelled  
  
Superman grinned: in concern for his friend J'onn had forgotten to phase and was solid. Superman clasped his hands together and hit J'onn on the back of the neck. The Martian fell to the ground.  
  
"J'onn, no-" Lantern said and tried to get up.  
  
"No, I don't think so." Superman said and pushed him down. "You have been quite a nuisance to me," He picked a metal pipe and rubbed it until it became pointed. "And now I'm going to get rid of you, permanently." He raised his arm-  
  
"Superman!" Superman glanced up and smiled. He dropped the pipe.  
  
"I wanted to fight you anyway." He said and started to move toward Batman. "How long do you think you'll last? With no powers?" He swung at Batman. Batman promptly ducked, grabbed Superman under the arm and flipped him over. Superman got up and glared at Batman.  
  
"That was lucky."  
  
"That was skill." Batman retorted. He took his grappling hook out of his belt and fired it at Superman. It rapped around him tightly. Superman struggled for a moment then grabbed the end of the rope that was being held by Batman: he pulled hard. Batman saw this move coming and let go before he was pulled toward Superman. Superman ripped the restraints off him and then bent down to pull up another computer. He chucked it at Batman. The Dark Knight jumped out of the way and landed skillfully on the floor. Superman yelled in anger and reached down to violently rip part of the floor up knocking Batman off his feet. Batman's ears rang from the impact of his head on the hard floor. Superman was already on him, his hand on his neck.  
  
"Hum, I expected more." Superman said. "How sad that your life will be ended by a fight that only lasted a minuet. I'm sure your boys will miss you greatly."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere!" Batman yelled and fired his smoke gun into Superman's face. Superman let go of Batman and stumbled back coughing. Batman leaped up and kicked him square in the chest, knocking him to the floor. He noticed that Lantern and J'onn were coming to.  
  
"Restrain him!" Batman yelled. Lantern took his left arm while J'onn took the right. Batman got down and poured a bitter liquid down Superman's throat.  
  
"AHHHHH!" Superman screamed and started to struggle brutally before his body finally relaxed and he passed out. Lantern let go with a sigh, J'onn and Batman had similar responses.  
  
"That was the antidote?" J'onn asked Batman. Batman nodded to tired to speak.  
  
"I never want to go threw this again." Lantern said and started to drag Superman into the infirmary so he could heal with the rest.  
  
"John!" Hawkgirl said with relief. She had been on guard during the fight in case Superman had entered the infirmary. Now she saw that her teammates had been triumphant.  
  
"It was hard, but Batman managed to get the antidote into him." Lantern told Hawkgirl. He collapsed in a chair beside her, only then did he notice that Wonder woman was awake.  
  
"Hey how are you?" He asked her  
  
"I'm fine, and all of you?"  
  
"We are unharmed." J'onn said. "Physically."  
  
Wonder woman knew exactly what he meant. She didn't know if she'd ever get the image of Superman laughing in that cell out of her mind. But the big question was, could Superman ever heal his mind after all that happened? 


	7. Epilogue

Author's Note: Rewrite. I didn't like the way this originally ended even when I first posted it, but not knowing what to do about it I put it up. Some reviewers confirmed what I thought, and after months of the first ending popping into my head and frustrating me to no end, I had to go back and change it in order to settle my mind.  
  
Epilogue  
  
Superman's mind was free. He could feel it even before he woke, but he didn't want to wake. Even though he had no control of his actions he was aware of everything he did. Every hurtful thing he said. He couldn't face his friends after this. What he said to Batman, what he did to Hawkgirl, Wonder woman and especially Flash. He nearly killed him, put him in a coma. Was he still in it? Superman didn't want to know and he knew if he opened his eyes that he would have to face all of that.  
  
"Superman?" He heard J'onn asked  
  
Darn. Why does J'onn always know?  
  
"Superman?" J'onn knew Superman was conscious. "Come on."  
  
Superman reluctantly opened his eyes.  
  
"I'm so sorry." Superman said before J'onn and the rest of the league behind him could say anything. "I couldn't control myself, and believe me I wanted too, I didn't want to do the things I did!" he let his eyes fall to the white sheets ashamed.  
  
"We know it wasn't your fault." Hawkgirl said placing her right hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, don't worry about it." Lantern added with a grin.  
  
Superman searched all the faces. Flash, Batman, and Diana were missing. J'onn noticed the look of confusion on his face.  
  
"Batman and Diana are on their way."  
  
"Flash?" Superman asked  
  
J'onn was silent but pointed his hand toward the next bed over. Superman turned his head. Flash was still in the coma. God, what if there was brain damage?  
  
"There isn't." J'onn said.  
  
Superman looked at him in surprise.  
  
"Sorry you were thinking quite... ...loud."  
  
"Hey there he is," Wonder woman said sticking her head into the door. "We got a present for you."  
  
She handed Superman a vanilla envelope. Superman opened it curiously, inside was a mug shot of Luthor.  
  
"We caught him" She smiled.  
  
Superman nodded. He thought back to the fight that caused all of this. Suddenly he knew what Luthor had meant by saying he'd rather read about his unfortunate death in the paper. He knew the gas would make him go crazy. He wanted to read the headline that read: Justice League Forced to Kill Superman, or worse, Superman Kills Justice League. Superman shivered, what a maniac.  
  
"Is Batman here?" Superman asked  
  
"Yes, he's outside." Wonder Woman replied  
  
"I would like to talk to him-alone."  
  
Wonder woman nodded and walked out the door followed by the rest of the league. Batman soon entered. Superman looked at him trying to guess the Dark Night's mood.  
  
"Batman," Superman said finally, "those things I said to you..."  
  
Batman stared at him quietly. Superman continued,  
  
"I didn't mean it, you know that right? Because you're one of my best friends and I would hate to lose you and I know you don't trust people all that easily and I just did all this and-" Superman babbled out  
  
"Superman. Calm down. It's fine. You know as well as I that if I thought you meant it you wouldn't be here right now."  
  
Superman smiled gratefully.  
  
"Thanks Bruce."  
  
Batman nodded and left the room. Superman sighed and sat back in his bed trying to stop the videotape of what he did in his mind, it kept coming back to the museum fight, over and over and over. He squeezed his eyes shut. He knew why that scene wouldn't leave; it was because Flash was laying in a coma beside him. A coma that he put him in. Superman sat back up, pulled all the monitors off him, and then swinging his legs over the bed, he unsteadily rose to his feet. His head spun for a moment, a side effect from the antidote he guessed, but he blinked the dizziness away. He sat down in the chair beside Flash's bed and picked up his friend's hand.  
  
"I heard once that people in comas might be able to hear what is said to them." Superman told him. "And I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. I won't be so bold to ask you to forgive me, because I'll never forgive myself, but I can only hope and pray that you'll learn to trust me again." He was answered only by the steady beeping of Flash's heard monitor. Superman squeezed Flash's hand gently, "I hope you heard me."  
  
2 days later:  
  
"Superman?" Wonder Woman asked as she entered the infirmary holding a dinner tray. "Have you eaten yet?"  
  
Superman looked up from the chair beside Flash's bed, where he had been for the last 48 hours.  
  
"I'm not hungry." He replied  
  
"Superman," Wonder Woman sighed, "You have to get well too! If you don't eat how can you expect to do anything?"  
  
"I think I've done enough."  
  
"You didn't do anything!"  
  
"How can you say that? 'I didn't do anything?' Look what I did!" he cried pointing at Flash.  
  
"Stop this. Didn't we all tell you it wasn't your fault? Didn't Batman explain to you what the gas did? The only person your hurting is yourself! Let the guilt go! Flash would tell you that too."  
  
Superman sighed  
  
"Now eat this. Please."  
  
Superman took the tray and a bite of the sandwich on it to please her. She smiled and left the room.  
  
"Any change?" Lantern asked Wonder Woman after she exited the infirmary  
  
"In which one?"  
  
"Both."  
  
"No change."  
  
Superman could hear Lantern sigh from were the two stood. He shook his head, they just don't understand! It didn't happen to them! How could they possible know? How could they know how he feels? He swallowed the one bite of the sandwich that he had forgotten he was chewing and placed the food back down on the plate. He had to make sure that every thing was okay before he thought about himself. Couldn't they understand that? Still deep in thought he unconsciously squeezed Flash's hand; to his immense surprise he felt a faint squeeze back!  
  
"Flash?" Superman asked quickly drawn back to the room. The young man still appeared to be asleep. Superman didn't want to overreact, maybe that was just his imagination, or maybe it was a reflex. So Superman squeezed again, and he got a squeeze back! "Flash?" he asked again.  
  
Slowly Flash's eye flickered open, they wondered around the room before falling on Superman.  
  
"Flash! I'm so-"  
  
"I know." He interrupted, a slight grin on his face, "I heard you before, and don't worry, everything's alright."

The End.


End file.
